Blog - Fifth Apehttp://www.fifth-ape.com/blog/Mon, 03 Nov 2014 15:30:13 +0000en-USSite-Server v6.0.0-3547-3547 (http://www.squarespace.com)Deep thoughts on health, fitness, Parkour, martial arts, food, meaning, and <br/>life. Often abstract, occasionally relevant :)Training: Speed vaults, ambidexterity, and robo-shouldersVideoAthleticsColin PistellMon, 03 Nov 2014 15:28:05 +0000http://www.fifth-ape.com/blog/2014/11/3/training-speed-vaults-ambidexterity-and-robo-shoulders4f5655b424acca1952a67887:50064537e4b0af37b907ae1b:54579459e4b029e1c951260dOver the past few months I've been busily reestablishing my physical
practice. It turns out that taking nearly a year off does little to improve
one's skills, but I have found it to have one vital advantage: When I
started training again I was so rusty that I no longer had a dominant side
and a weak side of my body.Over the past few months I've been busily reestablishing my physical practice. It turns out that taking nearly a year off does little to improve one's skills, but I have found it to have one vital advantage: When I started training again I was so rusty that I no longer had a dominant side and a weak side of my body.

Many parkour movements have a unilateral aspect to them - you lead with one foot, you post on one hand, one leg drives, the other follows, etc. All of us express a preference for one side or the other, based on whether we're right/left handed or right/left legged. Like all sensible traceurs I advocated for training both sides of the body equally - the balance is key for continued progression and improvement. However like most traceurs my own side bias crept in unconsciously. Small inconsistencies turned into giant oversights - for example, I'd never done a full-speed speed vault on my off side.

I've also always had problems with being too stiff while moving. A friend refers to this as my 'robo-shoulders.' I've long been flummoxed by how to train for fluidity, relaxation, and grace. It seems like you either have it or you don't. I've always been strong, decently fast, and decently well coordinated, but I've never been graceful. I'd really like to fix that.

And thus my two big meta-goals were established. I've been very committed to redeveloping both sides equally. There was quite a bit of humble pie to eat in the early days of summer as I relearned everything which made working both sides much easier - if both sides suck then there's no motivation to focus on just "the good one." The robo-shoulder cure is still ongoing and experimental - my approach has been to spend extra time visualizing the movement beyond simple completion and into fluidity - to understand what it would feel like and look like. Also, I've found that having a slightly more aggressive mindset (slightly is the key word here) improves confidence on the approach which in turn smooths out the entire technique.

There is much work left to be done, but I've been reasonably pleased with my progress so far. Here's a clip of me working on speed vaults from the other day.

I think it's still apparent which is my bad side (can you tell? let me know what your guess is) but this gives me hope that with enough practice I may one day be a fluid and ambidextrous athlete.

]]>Training: Speed vaults, ambidexterity, and robo-shouldersGrowthMusingsColin PistellThu, 16 Oct 2014 17:04:24 +0000http://www.fifth-ape.com/blog/2014/10/16/growth4f5655b424acca1952a67887:50064537e4b0af37b907ae1b:543ff91fe4b0706fb14e74a2What a summer. I was slightly disappointed to come back from the Big Road
Trip (aka One Of The Best Ideas I've Ever Had) without a clear plan. Sure,
I had an incredible time, and sure, it was rejuvenating… but I was
supposed to come back with a clear, bullet-pointed list of next steps. That
may not have happened, but some seeds were planted.What a summer.

I was slightly disappointed to come back from the Big Road Trip (aka One Of The Best Ideas I've Ever Had) without a clear plan. Sure, I had an incredible time, and sure, it was rejuvenating… but I was supposed to come back with a clear, bullet-pointed list of next steps. That may not have happened, but some seeds were planted.

Things started small. I spoke to a few folks who were interested in integrating parkour into physical education curriculum. One of those programs was looking to combine Robotics with parkour to make STEM education accessible to underserved children. Before I knew it I was spending my days teaching kids to program robots.

"You know," I said to a friend, "if I could do it all over again I'd probably focus on computer science." He looked at me. "Why don't you just do that now?" he asked. Thus began the summer of learning. It's all still very much a work in progress, but as of now I've tackled 3 coding languages and 2 types of math. It's been incredible.

Math and I have had an interesting relationship. As a kid, I loved math. I was repeatedly told by adults that I was "smart" and "good at math." Then I hit Calculus… and it was hard. I was also 17 and an idiot and not at all interested in working hard. I'd never had to work hard before. And if I had to work hard at it, wouldn't that mean I actually wasn't good at math? Maybe that meant I wasn't smart? Smart people didn't have to work hard, right? Better, surely, to just declare I didn't like math and ignore it.

Fast forward through an undergraduate program that had absolutely no math requirement (a crime) and an early career that relied more on people management than data, and there I was entering an MBA program without having done any kind of math for 10 years.

To my own surprise, I excelled at the quantitative side of things. I ended up taking every data analysis class I could. I loved it. I could feel those old parts of my brain stirring.

Fifth Ape put all of that on pause, simply because the quantitative/analytical decisions were extremely straightforward: I needed X amount of clients each month to make a living. That was about as complex as it got.

But now, I could really dig in. Data Science as a field is growing rapidly and it demands a skill set that I find deeply appealing. It's a little bit of programming and computer science. It's a little bit of quantitative chops and data analytic skills. It's a little bit of subject-matter-expertise. "I think I'd like that," I found myself thinking. "And, with a bit of training, I think I could be pretty good at it."

I got to work. I knew a few things going in: I didn't want to pay for a degree - the skills I was after were pretty objectively verifiable and, frankly, degrees are extremely overpriced these days. I wanted to work at my own pace, which, in this case, needed to be rather fast. I had to treat this like a job - I'd get to it at 9AM every day and I'd finish at 5PM.

Enter Coursera and Khan Academy. These are incredible resources. If there's a point to this blog post it's that you should explore what they have to offer. I'm especially impressed with how Khan Academy is put together. This could be (and is, I'm sure) the subject of a few books, but I think it represents a new paradigm in education. You should listen to this TED talk - it's interesting and I'm a believer in the idea of the 'flipped' classroom. The ability to pause and replay sections of lectures is invaluable. That sounds obvious, but the impact on my learning cannot be overstated. I think the impact on a classroom could be even greater. I love the idea of technology enabling more meaningful human interactions in the classroom.

See, I really think all that "you're smart and good at math" talk I received as a child wasn't actually very helpful. It set me up to fear tacking challenging subject-matter and failing. Or asking too many questions in a classroom. There's actually a bit of research behind this idea now - rather than telling kids they're smart, we're better off praising them for perseverance and hard work.

This "Growth Mindset," or the idea that you can learn anything with enough work and practice is the secret sauce to being happy. I'm as sure of that as anyone can be of anything. That's what was missing from my physical practice for the past couple of years - I was spending so much time thinking about The Business that slowly but surely I lost the ability to enjoy struggling with new skills. I had to appear competent. I had to be a "thought leader." I had to be a content creator.

Here's the truth, folks: I'm bad at parkour. The only thing about it that comes easily to me is climb-ups because I'm pretty strong. Every other element of it is incredibly hard for me. Almost every jump or vault scares me. But, at least in the early days of my training, that's precisely why I did it. Every time I accomplished some minor achievement, I could feel myself growing.

What a relief to be able to go back to those days. This is completely unsurprising in hindsight, but as soon as I hit that growth mindset again (with the math and the coding) the desire to go out and train hit me like a truck. For the past few months I've once again been able to enjoy being terrible at parkour. I spent a few weeks only working on my off-side. Result - I can finally do a (fairly) fluid speed vault on my off-side. Very basic stuff, but because of some mistakes I made very early in my training I'd never managed it until now. There are many other examples like that - basic stuff that I'd just never really confronted until now. I have a ton of work left to do until I can correct all these issues, but I am enjoying the process. A lot.

The summer of learning has extended into the autumn of learning. I think that will extend into the winter of learning… in fact, I see no reason to ever stop.

tl;dr? Keep growing folks - and keep moving.

]]>GrowthThe Road Trip Awards: Part IIITravelColin PistellMon, 17 Mar 2014 18:27:52 +0000http://www.fifth-ape.com/blog/2014/3/17/the-road-trip-awards-part-iii4f5655b424acca1952a67887:50064537e4b0af37b907ae1b:53273bd0e4b0689686dacac7Well, that was fun.
I arrived home in Chapel Hill on Saturday evening. The sun was shining and
the weather was a very pleasant 70 degrees. Now, it's snowing out. Ahhh,
early spring.
The third leg of my trip went fast. Faster than I originally intended -
more on that soon - but it had its fair share of highlights. And so, I
present to you the third and final edition of The Road Trip Awards:Well, that was fun.

I arrived home in Chapel Hill on Saturday evening. The sun was shining and the weather was a very pleasant 70 degrees. Now, it's snowing out. Ahhh, early spring.

The third leg of my trip went fast. Faster than I originally intended - more on that soon - but it had its fair share of highlights. And so, I present to you the third and final edition of The Road Trip Awards:

Best Sister: Lauren Pistell

Barista of the decade: Art at Conservatory of Coffee - Culver City, CA. He recognized me even though it's been 8 years since I last was in there.

Best Rendition of "Let It Go": Girl who sat behind me during the 12:35 screening of Frozen on Thursday - Topika, KS. She rocked it. I'm completely serious.

Most Horrifying Local NPR Report: Lawrence, KS. Report consisted of: 2 murder convictions, 1 execution of a convicted murderer, 1 report of an arrest in a recent murder and 1 new murder now under investigation. Most of the murders involved knives and one victim was an infant.

Most Beautiful Place: Bryce Canyon, UT

Best (worst?) Meth Teeth: Abilene, KS

Most Stringent Network Security: Sleep Inn - Clarksville, TN

Best Sister: Lauren Pistell

The Most Cool Police Officer of All Time: The guy who pulled me over near Junction City, KS...

...Which leads me to...

The John Chamberlin Pistell Peanut Butter Cookie Lifetime Achievement Award** for Terrible Travel Decisions is hereby awarded to: Me - for deciding to go on a 7 week many thousands of miles long road trip WITH A SUSPENDED DRIVER'S LICENSE.

...Okay, this requires an explanation. A year and a half ago I was pulled over by a cop because my registration was out of date. He gave me a ticket and told me if I showed up at court on the appropriate date with proof of my updated registration they'd waive the fee. I took care of the registration that day but then realized I couldn't make the court date (had to work). I thought I had paid the ticket but apparently I never got around to it. A year+ later the ticket was still unpaid and my license got suspended. This was back in September. As in, 5 months ago.

Here's the thing: I never heard a peep about it from anyone. No letters, nothing. Hell, I've been back to the DMV fairly recently to re-update my registration and nobody mentioned anything to me.

So, yeah, I've been tootling around the country on a suspended driver's license. I would have continued to tootle indefinitely if not for the aforementioned Kansas Police Officer who pulled me over for spending too much time in the left lane of the highway. He was the quintessential Country Sheriff - timeless weathered face, great mustache, looked like an old jackrabbit. Here's how our conversation went:

Officer: "Hey, don't worry, you're not really in trouble, I just wanted to let you know that in Kansas it's against the law to drive indefinitely in the left lane."

Me: "Oh, sorry, I didn't know that."

Officer: "It's okay, I'm going to let you off with a warning. Can I see your license and proof of insurance?"

Me: "Sure - here you go."

Officer: "What are you doing around here?"

(5 minutes of me telling him about my travels. Officer's radio beeps. He listens intently for a minute)

Officer: "So... did you know your driver's license was suspended back in September?"

Me: "WHAT????"

Officer: "You apparently didn't pay a ticket?"

Me: "WHA??...ohhh..."

Officer: "Yeah... look, it's really illegal for you to be driving right now. Like, REALLY illegal."

Me: "...please don't arrest me?"

(Officer looks at me for a minute.)

Officer: "Here's the deal. I'm going to drive west for about 20 minutes. Then I'm going to turn around and carry on east. I won't see you on the road at any point, will I?"

Me: "Um... nope. No you will not."

Officer: "That's good. Incidentally, there's a Starbucks with wifi about 10 minutes east of here. Some good motels and movie theaters around there too. Wouldn't be a bad place to stop for awhile and take care of some business."

Me: "That sounds nice."

Officer: "Good luck, son."

Within 5 hours I had paid the ticket and cleared the suspension. I still had to get back to North Carolina and I technically didn't have a license, so there were less adventurous detours for the last two days of the trip and a lot more freaking out whenever I saw a white car approaching me on the highway, but I made it back and as of 4 hours ago I am once again legally licensed to drive a car. Phew...

Hey, what's an adventure without a little bit of trouble and some brushes with the law?

**This name refers to the time when my father traveled across the country in his youth, ending up in California with only $5 to his name. His first decision: Buy a giant peanut butter cookie. He then lived on a beach for a while.

***

And thus ends an incredible chapter of my life. I have no doubt that I will look back on the past two months as some of the best times of my life. Thanks so much to everyone who made it possible - everyone who hosted me, hung out with me, called to make sure I was still alive, etc. I'm glad to be home and very very excited about what comes next.

Time to Keep Moving!

]]>The Road Trip Awards: Part IIIUtahTravelColin PistellWed, 12 Mar 2014 03:02:38 +0000http://www.fifth-ape.com/blog/2014/3/11/utah4f5655b424acca1952a67887:50064537e4b0af37b907ae1b:531fce5be4b0c1b7c9e2cf0dI spent today in southern Utah. I hadn't really planned the day out which
led to an... um... interesting drive through Route 14 out of Cedar City. It
turns out that road goes over the mountains rather than through them - so I
ended up on a high plateau barely able to see the road through all the snow
blowing around. I spent today in southern Utah. I hadn't really planned the day out which led to an... um... interesting drive through Route 14 out of Cedar City. It turns out that road goes over the mountains rather than through them - so I ended up on a high plateau barely able to see the road through all the snow blowing around.

Fortunately, the roads weren't bad and I ended up in Bryce Canyon National Park. It was utterly amazing. The Grand Canyon was incredible due to scale. Bryce Canyon was amazing because of color and detail. Some photos:

The drive out of Utah was also spectacular. What a dramatically beautiful state - I'm really glad I decided to pass through.

]]>UtahThe Road Trip Awards: Part IITravelColin PistellSun, 09 Mar 2014 00:16:37 +0000http://www.fifth-ape.com/blog/2014/3/8/the-road-trip-awards-part-ii4f5655b424acca1952a67887:50064537e4b0af37b907ae1b:531baffde4b004532587b6f1After a whirlwind two weeks I have returned briefly to my port city of LA
to gear up for the third half of my trip. It seems an opportune moment to
hand out the next wave of Road Trip AwardsAfter a whirlwind two weeks I have returned briefly to my port city of LA to gear up for the third half of my trip. It seems an opportune moment to hand out the next wave of Road Trip Awards!

Best Coffee: San Francisco, CA

Best Coffee for the Price: Portland, OR

Most Inexcusable Lack of Good Coffee: Los Angeles, CA

Overall Best Food That Almost Makes Up For The Lack of Good Coffee But Seriously What The Hell LA: Los Angeles, CA

Best Excuse to Spend 2 Hours in a Car: The Redwood Highway, Route 199.

Best System of Cousins: The Flores Network - San Francisco, CA

Most Terrifying Region For A Libera... Hell, For Everyone: Southern Washington. Never go there.

Weirdest Thing I Ate: The "Monte Cristo" from The Big Egg food truck - Portland, OR

Best Jiffy Lube: Seattle, WA

Route 5 Windshield Bugpocalypse Body Count: 48

Most Eclectic Motel 6 Clientele: Eureka, CA

Most Flavorful Local NPR Report: Southern OR - the entire report was dedicated to salmon spawning and a regional wolf population update (including the movements and romantic status of everyone's favorite local lone wolf)

Most Beautiful Place: Oneonta Gorge, OR

Most Intriguing Question Posed: "If you could only choose one, would you choose to attend Hogwarts or Starfleet Acadamy?" - I still don't know the answer... what do you think?

]]>The Road Trip Awards: Part IIThe Rainy NorthAthleticsMusingsTravelColin PistellTue, 04 Mar 2014 18:39:32 +0000http://www.fifth-ape.com/blog/2014/3/4/the-rainy-north4f5655b424acca1952a67887:50064537e4b0af37b907ae1b:531611d3e4b061f70724785dI'm still alive!
A combination of factors have slowed down the blogging. I've been in spotty
internet areas and, as the month ended, found myself nearing my mobile data
limit. But, the bigger factor has been that I've been too busy doing neat
stuff.I'm still alive!

A combination of factors have slowed down the blogging. I've been in spotty internet areas and, as the month ended, found myself nearing my mobile data limit. But, the bigger factor has been that I've been too busy doing neat stuff.

I had an amazing time in the bay area. Old friends, great weather, great food. I'm now seriously considering how I could arrange to go back and live there for awhile.

Let's pause for a second and talk about coffee. San Francisco has great coffee delivered in an appropriately snooty manner. Here's a café we went to:

Nice, right? But wait… let's zoom in a bit on the action at the counter.

"I do not understand what you mean by 'blended coffee drink'"

This is the face you want your barista to be making basically always. It goes without saying that our pour over was amazing.

It was particularly nice to see old pal Charlie Reid again. The Move-SF facility was pretty great and Charlie is working with some great programming.

Then it was time to strike north. I opted for the longer route of the Redwood Highway. I had never seen redwood forests before. Wow. So Tree. Such girth. I didn't really make it very far on the drive on the first day because I kept pulling over to get out and run around. (Click to bigify)

My route occasionally got me near the coast which was also amazing. Next time I find myself traveling from California to Oregon I will take the coastal route. I spent an hour on this beach here - it had a really amazing energy - wild surf, fog, pre-storm… it felt good to be in it.

Then it was time for Portland. I liked Portland. I want to put that out there right away so there's no confusion later. Portland was very cool. It was made better by the fact that I got to catch up with some old college friends who graciously put me up and took time off of work to take me on a tour of the area. Once again, Wow. We went to Multnomah Falls which were absolutely incredible. (Click to bigify)

Portland is weird. That's probably not news to anyone - Portland is known for its weirdness. I thought I was prepared for it. I was still surprised a few times. One of the first things I saw upon entering the city limits was two 30-something women running down the street wearing regular jogging clothes… and green tutus. I mean, that's fine. Green tutus, you know? But… why? It seemed like a sizable percentage of the city was trying really hard to be unique which ended up making them all kinda seem the same? In the end, it's all good - Portland is a neat place and they also have appropriately snooty coffee… which is half the price of the coffee in San Francisco.

I continued north to Seattle. When I arrived in the city the sun was shining and the skies were cloudless. I was disappointed. I wanted rain and fog. Silly me…

I made a brief stop by Parkour Visions which was a pretty neat space - clearly a labor of love. It was great to see my friend Duncan again. Duncan is the only person I know who might be more into board/card games than I am and he immediately directed me to Card Kingdom and the attached Café Mox. I was in heaven. I hear it's even better if you're into Magic - definitely check it out if you find yourself in Seattle and want to pursue high nerdery.

I also got to grab some coffee with Frank Forencich and Josh Leeger, early guides for me on my health/fitness journey. I loved that - it made me really wish Charlie and Kwame Brown could have been there too. One day, we will all be in the same space again… I look forward to that day.

I also took the opportunity to check out an Evolve Move Play seminar taught by Rafe Kelley. Rafe and I had spoken a few times but this was our first time meeting. I had a lot of fun at the seminar. It actually made me feel pretty good in retrospect about my own coaching. Rafe is generally regarded as a good coach and a couple times during the seminar he explained concepts/techniques nearly verbatim to how I did it - but often with more detail and content added on. (Rafe, if you're reading this I was really freaking out during your contralateral/ipsilateral demo which was EXACTLY the same as I do it! I forgot to tell you about it afterwards… but so funny!)

The seminar also hit me in a few really soft spots. On my 2nd or 3rd day of parkour practice I tried to do stuff with trees and had a really nasty fall. I confess I've been terrified of complex movement through trees ever since. I've also never been particularly sure-footed in wet conditions - especially moving at speed. Well, the second half of the seminar took place outside in the rain - and the focus was moving quickly through trees. My two weaknesses did not antipode into a strength…oh boy did I ever SUCK. I kept waiting for Rafe to say, "Okay, now we work on climb ups!" so I could have my redemption but alas, no dice. It's pointed me in a clear direction for improvement.

Tldr: Rafe's pulling a whole lot of great information together - I learned a lot. If you have a chance to check out a seminar I think you should… especially when you compare Rafe's price point to some others…

And so the journey continues! At this point I really need to think about heading back east. With no fixed plan who knows where I'll end up next!

]]>The Rainy NorthLos AngelesTravelColin PistellFri, 21 Feb 2014 19:05:07 +0000http://www.fifth-ape.com/blog/2014/2/21/los-angeles4f5655b424acca1952a67887:50064537e4b0af37b907ae1b:5307a0e9e4b0a0d5361b14d7California is a world unto itself. I lived here for nearly 10 years which
is enough time for California to work itself deep enough into one's bones
that one can't ever really leave - frequent visits are required, like
fixes, to maintain one's grip on life. I think there's a song or two about
this phenomenon…I am currently sitting in the kitchen of a dear friend in San Francisco. The late afternoon sun is streaming in through set of double doors that lead out to a beautiful deck from which you can look out over a large chunk of the bay area. It's pretty spectacular.

California is a world unto itself. I lived here for nearly 10 years which is enough time for California to work itself deep enough into one's bones that one can't ever really leave - frequent visits are required, like fixes, to maintain one's grip on life. I think there's a song or two about this phenomenon…

I just finished a 10 day visit to Los Angeles, my old stomping grounds. I've written about LA a few times before - it seem like it always gives me a lot to think about. Last time, I distinctly felt like it was no longer "my city." This time was a little different - it was like seeing an old friend after a long separation. You embrace, then step back and look at each other, noting the changes time has etched on the other with a wry knowing smile. In some ways, LA is exactly the same. It's fast paced, kinda dirty, choked with cars, full of beautiful people, expensive, etc. It still has amazing food - I'd argue it has the best food of any city in this country and after my travels I feel like I can make a strong case… more on that soon…

But in other ways the city has changed. Some of this is the normal churn of a fast paced environment - restaurants come and go, stores rise and fall, trends hit and fade away. It was always a bit of a jab when I'd try to go to an old favorite haunt only to discover it no longer existed. But, on the bright side, exciting new businesses are popping up. One of my favorite experiences of the trip was going to Gamehäus, a pretty damn good café where one can pay a small fee to access an EXTENSIVE collection of board games. I am a huge board game nerd and they had everything I was looking for. I, of course, found the owner and began asking him lots of questions. An excerpt of our conversation:

Owner: "…so that's why I think Letters from Whitechapel is the best of the Jack the Ripper sims out there."

Me: "Can I live here?"

Owner: "Haha"

Me: "…I'm serious."

I also had what was almost certainly the best Thai food of my life - certainly the most unique - at the new Night Market, which specializes in Thai street food. Amazing.

Honored

The things that really mattered were all still there. I was particularly excited to return to USC to train with my old MMA group. It's been a good 7 years since I was last there so several "generations" of students have passed. The quality of the athletes has only improved and the grappling game itself has evolved. I got absolutely obliterated by everyone and loved every second of it. As good as the training itself was I was more excited to find that everyone in that group was still kind, helpful, humble, and generous with their knowledge. I learned a ton - it kinda felt like starting over from scratch which is always an amazing feeling. In the hopes of contributing my fair share I taught everyone a few PK moves which was a ton of fun - the most fun I've had teaching in a long time. They also presented me with a set of tags - a group tradition that started after I left - which was a huge honor.

Amazing? Excessive? Both.

I also got to check out the new extremely fancy training center for USC athletes. It was impressive to the extreme - rather too impressive actually. Confronted with that level of excess I couldn't help but wonder how many research grants and scholarships USC could have provided if they had restrained themselves to merely a $40 million dollar state-of-the-art athletic building. This was a temple to athletic elitism - exclusive and isolated. There are clearly pros and cons to these kinds of facilities and the values they represent. It certainly got me thinking.

A city without people is just a collection of buildings. The people of Los Angeles often get a bad rap - shallow, materialistic, image obsessed, etc. There are elements of truth to this. One hears that LA is a place where dreams go to die. My experiences with Angelenos has been very different. I continue to meet smart, focused, interesting people every time I visit. Thanks to the internet and all those neat (not so) new ways to share content, folks are working really hard and generating a lot of really good stuff. It's fun to pop back into the scene every few years to see how things have changed and what people are up to - I remain impressed. My friends have all continued to establish themselves and thrive. This trip was distinguished by a few meetings with some much older friends - I had lunch with a cousin I haven't seen in 10 years and dinner with an old high-school friend I haven't seen in nearly 15 years. That's the appeal of big cities like LA - they can always surprise you with the unexpected.

If you had asked me even a year ago if I could ever see myself living in LA again I would have said no. Now, I'm not so sure… Life around there takes some engineering to avoid some of the madness but I'm thinking pretty long and hard about how "Colin in LA: Round 2" would go…

]]>Los AngelesThe Road Trip Awards: Part ITravelColin PistellTue, 11 Feb 2014 21:05:38 +0000http://www.fifth-ape.com/blog/2014/2/11/the-road-trip-awards-part-i4f5655b424acca1952a67887:50064537e4b0af37b907ae1b:52fa90aee4b0f874b618758bYesterday afternoon I completed a milestone of my big rambling adventure -
I made it to the West Coast. I am currently sitting in a friend's apartment
building looking out over Los Angeles. It's giving me feelings but that's
for another post. For now, I feel it is time to look back on this first leg
of the journey and, in the spirit of festive competition, assign some
awards. Yesterday afternoon I completed a milestone of my big rambling adventure - I made it to the West Coast. I am currently sitting in a friend's apartment building looking out over Los Angeles. It's giving me feelings but that's for another post. For now, I feel it is time to look back on this first leg of the journey and, in the spirit of festive competition, assign some awards.

Best Coffee: Houndstooth Cafe, Austin TX

Worst Coffee: Shell Gas Station, Essex CA

Best Waiter/Waitress: Kaitlin, Dallas TX

Best Motel "Hot Breakfast": None - this was a trick question. Never eat the motel's hot breakfast.

Best Diner: Chaffin's Family Restaurant, Tucson AZ

Most Confusing City For My GPS: Round Rock TX

Most Beautiful Section of the Interstate Highway System: I-17 N

Most Distinctive Strip Mall: El Paso TX

Most Depressing Strip Mall: Jackson MS

Best local NPR Station: Austin TX

Saddest Local NPR Station: Jackson MS

Best Food: Atlanta GA

Greatest Number of Hot Stoned Girls: Flagstaff AZ

Favorite Place: Grand Canyon AZ

Person of the Trip: Ancient man eating an ice cream cone in the middle of the desert

Best Biker Gang: The Fists

Best Cat: Moomoo

We'll do more awards once I've completed my travels up to the Pacific Northwest.

]]>The Road Trip Awards: Part IThe Grand Canyon is literally indescribableSustainabilityColin PistellMon, 10 Feb 2014 01:11:43 +0000http://www.fifth-ape.com/blog/2014/2/9/the-grand-canyon-is-literally-indescribable4f5655b424acca1952a67887:50064537e4b0af37b907ae1b:52f8275be4b087ee08864362It's been a hell of a day. It began in a really charming Tucson diner at
6AM and is ending in Flagstaff. In between, I visited the Grand
Canyon. Perhaps you've seen it. If so, please forgive this post. If not, I
am almost certain you know someone who has seen it. At the very least, you
have looked at pictures. It sounds/looks big, right? You may have, like me,
asked friends who have seen it to describe it only to have your friends go
glassy-eyed and say something like, "Yeah, wow... it's... um... really
really big..."It's been a hell of a day. It began in a really charming Tucson diner at 6AM and is ending in Flagstaff. In between, I visited the Grand Canyon.

Perhaps you've seen it. If so, please forgive this post. If not, I am almost certain you know someone who has seen it. At the very least, you have looked at pictures. It sounds/looks big, right? You may have, like me, asked friends who have seen it to describe it only to have your friends go glassy-eyed and say something like, "Yeah, wow... it's... um... really really big..."

I now understand their difficulty. The Grand Canyon is, quite literally, indescribable. It is on a scale so big that I felt my brain lurch in my head as it tried to process what it was seeing. At my first look, my jaw dropped and I was unable to move for about 3 minutes. After hiking along the trail for about a mile I found myself a rock and sank onto it completely stupefied for about 45 minutes. It's like trying to comprehend how many stars are in the universe, but as a visual spectacle instead of mental gymnastics.

In short, it must be seen to be believed. Go see it.

I took some pictures, of course, but they are so completely unable to capture what it was actually like to sit there that I fear they may be pointless...

]]>The Grand Canyon is literally indescribableCarlsbad CavernsColin PistellSun, 09 Feb 2014 05:11:57 +0000http://www.fifth-ape.com/blog/2014/2/9/carlsbad-caverns4f5655b424acca1952a67887:50064537e4b0af37b907ae1b:52f70e29e4b0c5c89581e008I'm writing this from a little motel somewhere around Tucson Arizona. Today
was the longest and most tiring day of my trip thus far, but also one of my
favorites. The reason: Carlsbad Caverns which exceeded my (already somewhat
high) expectations.I'm writing this from a little motel somewhere around Tucson Arizona. Today was the longest and most tiring day of my trip thus far, but also one of my favorites. The reason: Carlsbad Caverns which exceeded my (already somewhat high) expectations.

There are some distinct advantages to going there in the winter, namely far smaller crowds. I opted to hike in through the natural entrance and didn't encounter another soul until I was nearly all the way down into the so called Big Room - a name that is almost hilariously insufficient to capture the scale of the chamber. I encountered very few people until the time came for the ranger guided tour I had signed up for.

I brought my camera along and took a great many photos, some of which are below. A few notes though... These photos do an extremely poor job of conveying the mind blowing scale of some of the formations and chamber sizes. Also, I refused to use a flash - it seemed sacrilegious somehow - which required long exposures and, if I may say so, a rather steady hand. Consequently, some of the photos are a little blurry and all give the appearance of way more light than there actually was down there.

In summary, if you are ever anywhere near Carlsbad, it is well worth diverting a few hours to check out the caves. A truly amazing place.

]]>Carlsbad CavernsBalcones CanyonlandsSustainabilityColin PistellThu, 06 Feb 2014 01:56:10 +0000http://www.fifth-ape.com/blog/2014/2/5/balcones-canyonlands4f5655b424acca1952a67887:50064537e4b0af37b907ae1b:52f2e7d7e4b0cba606f2282eOn my way into Austin I stopped by the Balcones Canyonlands National
Wildlife Refuge. The main purpose of the refuge is to provide habitat for
two endangered species of birds - the Golden-cheeked Warbler and the
Black-capped Vireo. Unfortunately, both species are still wintering in
Mexico but the land itself is extremely beautiful - I brought my camera
along on a hike and tried to capture some of it.On my way into Austin I stopped by the Balcones Canyonlands National Wildlife Refuge. The main purpose of the refuge is to provide habitat for two endangered species of birds - the Golden-cheeked Warbler and the Black-capped Vireo. Unfortunately, both species are still wintering in Mexico but the land itself is extremely beautiful - I brought my camera along on a hike and tried to capture some of it. Click to bigify.
]]>Balcones CanyonlandsGood food, good companyFoodColin PistellTue, 04 Feb 2014 23:37:42 +0000http://www.fifth-ape.com/blog/2014/2/4/good-food-good-company4f5655b424acca1952a67887:50064537e4b0af37b907ae1b:52f17929e4b001d22eeea1be...a brief sampler of some of the things I consumed: Steak tartare, crispy
pork belly, crab cakes, what some critics have called "the best pancakes in
the country," something called a "southern comfort taco," some amazing
cocktails, and a creme brûlée that just about knocked me out of my chair.The road trip is well underway. I am currently writing this from a cafe near Dallas after spending a wonderful weekend in Atlanta. The banner image above is from the Fox Theater and does not come close to doing it justice.

I've been to Atlanta before on a few occasions but never really enjoyed myself. Granted, I never knew anyone there and never really had a chance to poke around, so I ended up lumping myself in with what seems to be a common opinion that "Atlanta kinda sucks."

I may need to revise that opinion, mostly because I was the beneficiary of several year's worth of a dear friend's inside knowledge of the city. One of the highlights of the weekend was the food - and, oh boy, what food it was.

A brief sampler of some of the things I consumed: Steak tartare, crispy pork belly, crab cakes, what some critics have called "the best pancakes in the country," something called a "southern comfort taco," some amazing cocktails, and a creme brûlée that just about knocked me out of my chair.

You may note that none of these things are particularly "healthy." They certainly aren't "Paleo" or any other diet dogma, unless hedonism is now considered a diet. What they are, however, is fucking delicious, and that's pretty important.

You need to enjoy what you eat and sometimes that's more important than it's specific nutritional value. We've only got one shot at life - one can eat the world's most pristine diet and perhaps extend one's life by a few years but we all end up just as dead.

Of course, if being healthy and happy is a priority of yours - and I assume it is seeing as this is a website about being healthy and happy - you need to eat healthy as a general rule. But I think there's an important dovetailing here. When you misbehave, misbehave with the good stuff. Low quality food is both bad for you and, well, BAD. Yes, high quality food is more expensive, but it's worth it - both when we're "being good" and especially when we're "being bad."

There's a really important element of truly commendable culinary misbehavior and that is the company you misbehave with. The sharing of food is such an important part of a really good meal that I would argue it's impossible to have a good meal without it - an opinion that was solidified in my mind after spending the week before my trip eating alone followed by a weekend of the best company imaginable. The importance of sharing food is so centrally human that it appears in the traditions of every human culture. Much has been made of the modern demise of family dinners - rightly so in my opinion.

And so I present the easiest health homework you will ever receive. Grab some of your favorite people and engage in an evening of culinary hedonism. Home cooked is great, of course, but so is going out. Drink great beer, wine, cocktails, eat some really rich food, and definitely stay for dessert. Get a little tipsy and laugh a lot.

And for the love of Zeus, don't waste time instagramming your food. Just enjoy it.

]]>Good food, good companyThe adventure begins!MusingsAnnouncementsColin PistellTue, 28 Jan 2014 22:25:37 +0000http://www.fifth-ape.com/blog/2014/1/28/the-adventure-begins4f5655b424acca1952a67887:50064537e4b0af37b907ae1b:52e82cace4b05bdb6c0ae3de2013, huh? Personally, I was glad to see the end of it. They can't all be
good years I suppose and 2013 certainly didn't make the list. A few events
conspired to leave me facing 2014 completely at sea - many of the
comforting routines of the past few years (or my whole life) no longer
there to offer reassurance or direction.2013, huh?

Personally, I was glad to see the end of it. They can't all be good years I suppose and 2013 certainly didn't make the list. A few events conspired to leave me facing 2014 completely at sea - many of the comforting routines of the past few years (or my whole life) no longer there to offer reassurance or direction.

It's rather unsettling, as I'm quite sure most of you know. It's never a plesant experience to be knocked off one's pins. There are the inevitable struggles with mood, questioning of self worth, etc. I find myself worrying about the future and whether or not I'll be able to find a new job. I see myself trying to delve back into the world of business, sitting down at some job interviews and trying to explain how teaching kids how to jump off things is relevant to the high tech sector. I keep reminding myself that, while it's not fun, everyone goes through times like this and ultimately they can be a catalyst for positive change.

See, the nice thing about being at sea is you can go anywhere you want. And so I'm going to begin 2014 by taking that freedom quite literally and head off on a big road trip.

After a month of planning, I'm nearly ready to head off. Friday is my date of departure. The general plan is to cut West along a southern route (to minimize weather complications). I will tarry a bit in the southwest, which I have never properly explored, and then carry on to California where I will be spending quite a bit of time catching up with old friends. The trip back is far less planned. I may pop up to Seattle, then east to Glacier. I may pass through Boulder, a place I love and haven't been to in many years. I'm leaving it open.

My main goals for the trip are:

See New Places - We live in a beautiful country and I have not seen enough of it yet. I'm planning on stopping by as many national parks as possible. I'm also going to make an effort to visit a few cities that I've never been to but I keep hearing I would like.

See Old Friends - I know lots of amazing people and I haven't seen many of them in too long. On the other hand...

Meet New People - I am actually rather bad at this in my day-to-day routine and it's something I would like to change. So I'll be looking to strike up conversations with new people whenever the opportunity arises.*Sub Goal: Help a complete stranger solve a problem they're having.**Sub sub goal: Introduce myself to him/her with "Hello, I'm the Doctor."

Write - I've really not been able to muster up any kind of writing habit over the past few months but as I plan on doing a lot of Thinking Deep Thoughts on this trip, I might as well write them down. And then make you all read them.

Take Pictures - This is something I love doing but haven't been keeping up with for some reason. I'm hoping that some of the incredible landscapes I will hopefully be seeing will inspire some good shots. I will, of course, make you look at all of them.

Stretch Goal: Figure Out Life Plan - I'll have a lot of time to think on the open road and perhaps some of those thoughts will be about what I want to do with my life in the post-Fifth-Ape era. Maybe I'll fall in love with one of the places I visit. Maybe I figure out exactly what I want to do somewhere in the desert. Maybe being away from North Carolina for 6 weeks or so will remind me of how much I love it there. All things are possible.

***

I'm quite excited to begin this adventure, but of course it wouldn't be much of an adventure without some unplanned events, so if you are reading this and wouldn't mind hanging out for a day or so, let me know! I'll come say hi! (and probably eat all your food, but that's a minor detail) Here is my current rough itinerary, which is of course rather flexible.

Feb. 1 - 3: Atlanta

Feb. 4-6: Dallas/Austin

Feb. 8-10: Phoenix

Feb. 11-12: Grand Canyon

Feb. 14-20: Los Angeles

Feb. 21-26 San Francisco

??? (Either up north through Portland and Seattle, or east through Boulder/Denver)

March 8th or so: Maybe back in NC?

As you can see, the whole second half is a bit wibbly and I'd love to have some places to go and people to see.Here's to an adventurous 2014!

]]>The adventure begins!All good things...AnnouncementsCommunityMusingsColin PistellTue, 01 Oct 2013 18:58:03 +0000http://www.fifth-ape.com/blog/2013/10/1/all-good-things4f5655b424acca1952a67887:50064537e4b0af37b907ae1b:524b17e7e4b0b69b46c2d644This is going to be a bittersweet post. Yesterday I sent a message out to
all my students announcing that I would stop teaching Fifth Ape classes by
the beginning of December. I received a lot of replies along the lines of
"That's so sad - I'm really sorry for you." While I appreciate the
sentiment and there is certainly a element of sadness in the passing of
this phase, I am not sorry for me at all. I'm not being forced into this
decision by circumstance, indeed, I am choosing to do this because the time
is right.This is going to be a bittersweet post.

Yesterday I sent a message out to all my students announcing that I would stop teaching Fifth Ape classes by the beginning of December.

I received a lot of replies along the lines of "That's so sad - I'm really sorry for you." While I appreciate the sentiment and there is certainly an element of sadness in the passing of this phase, I am not sorry for me at all. I'm not being forced into this decision by circumstance, indeed, I am choosing to do this because the time is right. I hope you'll bear with me as this will almost certainly be a long and self-serving post.

I launched the business arm of Fifth Ape three years ago with a tiny amount of money, a lot of enthusiasm, and the stomach-lurching feeling that I had absolutely no idea what I was doing (even though I was certain I was right even if I couldn't really articulate why…) To say it was a learning experience does not even remotely begin to capture the roller-coaster ride. Every single day I learned something new. I made a lot of mistakes, iterated, made more mistakes, iterated, etc. Over time, with the help of my wonderful coaches and through the experience of working with all our amazing students, I developed a curriculum, methodology, and progressions that consistently worked and helped people get better. I'm really proud of that. The business grew to the point where I was breaking even or making a small profit every month. I was living the dream - making a living doing what I loved, setting my own schedule, it was a blast.

I remember somewhere near the beginning of this adventure someone reminded me of a couple of old curses; "May you do what you love for a living," and, "May you find what you're looking for." I understand those sentiments much more now. It's great to be passionate about something. But you mix the stress of making a living into that thing and you'll find your love starts to fray. Even when I wasn't teaching I'd be answering emails, making changes to the curriculum, fixing the website, trying to think of something to blog about (because Law of the Internet: YOU NEED MOAR CONTENT) etc. In my surprisingly limited free time my own training stagnated.

I made some changes to my schedule and things got better, but the stress was still there. I found myself increasingly frustrated with the politics and bullshit of the Paleo/Ancestral Health/Crossfit/Functional Fitness/Natural Movement/Parkour industry. I didn't want to engage with it any more. At the same time, while I was making a living, I wasn't making much of a living. My girlfriend was progressing through grad school and we were planning out what we wanted our lives to look like once she graduated. I was in this weird middle ground where I was surviving just fine, but I'd hit the upper limit of growth with the existing business model. I could either try to throttle up and really make a go of turning Fifth Ape into a solid business, or throttle back and do something else. I chose to throttle up and began to search for a facility space. To make a long story short, I came close a few times but the search/negotiations ended in failure - there weren't any good options around town unless I was willing to compromise on good business practices, which I wasn't.

So there I was, stressed but surviving, stuck in this middle ground with substantially less excitement than I had three years ago - or even one year ago. Then the Chapel Hill Public Library reopened after a long renovation. I started spending some time there. All the books I read had one thing in common: They had nothing to do with health/fitness. In a turn of events that is completely obvious in hindsight, the less time I spent in the thought-trenches of the fitness business, the more I began to be interested in my own training again.

I knew I wanted to step back, but there was a part of me that stubbornly refused to let go. Fortunately, I have some amazing friends and family who patiently listened to me and offered sage advice. I finally made the decision to close shop and instantly felt better.

I'm all about how lessons from Parkour and Martial Arts apply to real life. A big lesson that my students have heard me repeat ad nauseam is that you choose to move from positions of strength and assurance. I feel like that's what I'm doing by moving on at this time.

Here's the thing. I still love movement. I still love teaching movement. I now know exactly how I like to do that. For better or worse, the way I think it should be done does not line up with the way to maximize profit. So I'm still going to teach, just not for a living. That way it'll be pure love. In a way, it will be a closing of a circle - a return to the incredible days of martial arts training at USC or my early days of PK training with my original small group. I cannot tell you how exciting this is for me.

***

Looking back at the past three years I am incredibly grateful to all my amazing students for giving me the opportunity to work with them. To my students, I am so very very proud of you. You all made fantastic progress. I look forward to keeping up with all of you in the future. An extra special thanks to my crack squad of coaches, Sean, Kit, and Eric. I literally could not have done it without you guys. To the extended community - thank you for your support over the years. Don't worry, Fifth Ape isn't really going anywhere. I suspect that after I rest up a bit I may even start regular blogging again!

The title of this post is "All good things," as in "All good things come to an end." But I'm not sure that's appropriate here, because, really, nothing is ending. Movement and Fifth Ape are living things, and it is the nature of living things to change. Perhaps a better title would be "All living things evolve." I think I like that better.

As for what's next for me… we'll see. Julia and I are kind of excited about now having the freedom to go anywhere. Whatever happens, it will be an adventure. And that's about all one can ask for.

]]>All good things...A rolling & mobility drillVideoColin PistellFri, 23 Aug 2013 18:36:20 +0000http://www.fifth-ape.com/blog/2013/8/23/a-rolling-mobility-drill4f5655b424acca1952a67887:50064537e4b0af37b907ae1b:5217abb3e4b0576a59655979Here's a quick drill that can help to improve your comfort with rolling,
especially on harder surfaces, while also working some valuable hip
mobility. Give it a shot and let us know what you think!

Here's a quick drill that can help to improve your comfort with rolling, especially on harder surfaces, while also working some valuable hip mobility. Give it a shot and let us know what you think!

]]>Upcoming events!AnnouncementsCommunityParkourColin PistellMon, 12 Aug 2013 15:42:50 +0000http://www.fifth-ape.com/blog/2013/8/12/upcoming-events4f5655b424acca1952a67887:50064537e4b0af37b907ae1b:5208fe75e4b00fb51874931aWe've got some events coming up that are worth your attention!Students and local folks - we've got some events coming up that are worth your attention!

1. Coach Sean is returning from a year of traveling & training around the world and has some great knowledge to share. He's teaching an Ukemi and breakfalling seminar on August 24th from 3PM - 5PM. You can find out more and sign up here!

2. We've scheduled our next round of Fundamentals classes! We've got a Movement Fundamentals on 9/14 and a Martial Arts Fundamentals on 9/28. These are great ways on-ramp yourself into our curriculum so if you've been wondering about how to get started with us this is the perfect opportunity!

3. Finally, for those of you who live/are going to be around Seattle from August 23-25th, our friend Rafe Kelley is putting together a fantastic looking event called "Return to the Source." It promises to be excellent - you can find out more about it here.

If you can't make it this time Rafe assures us there will be more - I'll keep you posted!

]]>Don't chase "fitness"MusingsSustainabilityAthleticsColin PistellWed, 07 Aug 2013 13:23:27 +0000http://www.fifth-ape.com/blog/2013/8/7/dont-chase-fitness4f5655b424acca1952a67887:50064537e4b0af37b907ae1b:52012f2ae4b0eb74b662deb7A blog post! Yes, it's been a little while, hasn't it? In what is I think a
direct violation of the Laws Of Being Important On The Internet I have not
that much tolerance for repeating myself ad nauseum and quite honestly I've
been finding the subject of fitness profoundly boring as of late.A blog post! Yes, it's been a little while, hasn't it? In what is I think a direct violation of the Laws Of Being Important On The Internet I have not that much tolerance for repeating myself ad nauseum and quite honestly I've been finding the subject of fitness profoundly boring as of late.

I dunno... there's just so much more out there to think about and do. Don't get me wrong - I'm still out there training, I have skills, techniques and movements I'm working on. I still think training is fun and rewarding and important. But none of that is about "fitness," is it?

If you want my advice, stop chasing fitness. For one thing, it's the garishly neon-lit gateway into the Fitness Industry which is a noisy, shrill, nasty place filled with big egos and empty promises. I can't handle it, and I used to work in Hollywood.

If you, the client/athlete, find yourself stuck in the maelstrom of the fitness industry then I have one piece of advice for you: Buyer Beware.

Nobody owns the Truth. Nobody has exclusive access to the Truth, not even the really hardcore trendsetting elite firebreather coach who got into Crossfit "before it was cool," started thinking Crossfit was dumb before THAT was cool, wears toe shoes, runs in mudruns, does kettlebells, lifts "heavy," knows some "jitz," and is TRX certified. You may have noticed that guy, in between bites of his Paleo Treats and sips of Vita Coco, spends a lot of time ragging on the ineffectiveness and lameness of both "the fitness industry" and anyone who isn't currently training his way. Always remember that while this man may certainly be an asshole he does not own the Truth because there is no Truth.

Let's be honest: there are indeed a lot of hacks, quacks and snake oil salesmen out there. But there's also a lot of hard-working, well-meaning trainers and coaches who genuinely want to help their clients/athletes. Some of these coaches might not know a Zercher Squat from a TGU or have even seen a pair of gymnastic rings. You know what? That doesn't preclude them from being able to help people. I've been reminded of this fact over the past few months of lifting at the local YMCA. I've seen trainers working with clients in ways that might make those in the "functional fitness" world sneer or wince, but the clients are laughing and having a good time... and they come back for more the next week. If I could wave a magic wand and change one thing about The Industry it would be that we all approach other coaches and trainers with a default attitude of mutual respect and comradery... of course then allowing the quacks to earn their quackery.

Beyond that, what does "fitness" even mean? Outside of biology it's an empty word, isn't it? It needs a context. When people tell me they want to "get more fit" I ask them "fit for what?" Marathon fit is different than triathlon fit is different than fighting fit is different than Parkour fit, etc. Without a context, "fitness" is nothing more than a hamster wheel - endlessly spinning but going nowhere.

In short, "fitness" is boring and unpleasant. In an effort to jazz it up the ever helpful Industry stands ready to sell you all the latest high tech gear you need to patch together enough interest/motivation to get out and just do it. (Note their implicit assumption that exercise is boring and requires distraction) You'll need the updated neon colored sweat whisking shirt with the integrated GPS chip, the butt contouring pants, the newest iteration of the Barefoot Technology (TM) shoes, the very best water bottle belt and ergonomically contoured water bottles and, of course, the App that keeps you on track. Nearly every day I see joggers wearing $800 worth of training gear who have clearly spent zero time actually practicing how to run. To me, this suggests misplaced priorities - they seem to want "fitness" but don't care enough about running to learn how to do it.

Stop chasing fitness. It's a mug's game. Fitness should be at best a tertiary goal. Here's how I suggest you prioritize your training goals:

Are you having fun & being challenged?

Are you learning new things?

Are you getting stronger/faster/"more fit"

If you're having fun and learning neat new stuff the fitness will come, but you probably won't even notice because you'll be having so much fun learning neat new stuff.

Skip the products, shortcuts, and silver bullets. Skip the dogma, egos, and empty promises. Skip the grim and endless grind. Just have fun and learn new things. Stay positive, set tangible goals and progress slowly but steadily towards them. Help others, and stick with it. Keep Moving.

]]>Schedule update for next weekAnnouncementsColin PistellTue, 18 Jun 2013 23:00:00 +0000http://www.fifth-ape.com/blog/2013/6/18/schedule-update-for-next-week4f5655b424acca1952a67887:50064537e4b0af37b907ae1b:51c0c3d4e4b02a20563f9ce1I am going out of town next week. Coach Kit will be taking over and the
class schedule will remain largely unchanged, but there will be a few
modifications and I want to make sure you knew all about them:

Kit's ready...

A quick announcement about next week's class schedule:

I am going out of town next week. Coach Kit will be taking over and the class schedule will remain largely unchanged, but there will be a few modifications and I want to make sure you knew all about them:

Martial Arts classes: While Kit has many great talents, hand to hand combat is not currently among them. The MA classes on 6/23, 6/26, and 6/30 are cancelled. BUT! In their place Kit will be running Movement 1 classes, so you can still get some good training in.

Youth Basics classes: The Saturday Youth Basics class usually runs at 4PM, but Kit's work with the DSI Theater means we'll need to reschedule it. The Youth Basics class will run at 10AM on Saturday 6/22 and Saturday 6/29. If that time is inconvenient, all Youth Basics students can take the opportunity to check out the Youth Intermediate class on Sunday at 11AM.

I will be back to work on Monday, 7/1.

Please let us know if you have any questions about the schedule - thanks for understanding and letting me get away for a week!

]]>Schedule update for next week700AnnouncementsVideoColin PistellThu, 06 Jun 2013 16:13:36 +0000http://www.fifth-ape.com/blog/2013/6/6/7004f5655b424acca1952a67887:50064537e4b0af37b907ae1b:51b0b24ae4b0aa90845f1d78We recently hit 700 facebook fans. As most of you know, whenever we hit
another 100 we release a video for all of you. Here I am trying to figure
out wide-grip muscle ups on rings. This is significantly harder than a
regular muscle-up - generally we want to keep our arms as close to our body
as possible for maximum stability.We recently hit 700 facebook fans. As most of you know, whenever we hit another 100 we release a video for all of you. Here I am trying to figure out wide-grip muscle ups on rings. This is significantly harder than a regular muscle-up - generally we want to keep our arms as close to our body as possible for maximum stability.

The eventual goal is this, which is pretty crazy and maybe impossible, but I'll certainly try!

FYI If you haven't joined our facebook community yet you can always find it by clicking the icon in the upper right hand corner of the website. Or I suppose you could follow this link :)

Enjoy!

]]>How to get startedCommunityMusingsColin PistellThu, 30 May 2013 14:32:08 +0000http://www.fifth-ape.com/blog/2013/5/30/how-to-get-started4f5655b424acca1952a67887:50064537e4b0af37b907ae1b:51a7529be4b02ab2a1602dcbOne of the most frequent questions I get asked is "So, how do I get
started?" Let's tackle this from an absolute beginner lens. The only
assumption I'm making here is that you are ambulatory.One of the most frequent questions I get asked is "So, how do I get started?" Let's tackle this from an absolute beginner lens. The only assumption I'm making here is that you are ambulatory.

Step 2: Walk every day. Start with just 10 minutes, and increase the time/distance every day. Don't bring any phone/device with you... not even to play music. Pay attention to the world around you. Once you're up to 30 minutes or so you don't need to add more time, but if you want to then go for it.

Step 3: Don't sit still for more than 10 minutes. If you work a desk job try to get up and wiggle every 5 minutes or so. Try to cultivate an awareness of your posture... don't try to "fix it," just be aware.

Step 4: Go to bed on time. Try for 8 hours of sleep every night.

Phase 2: For 8 weeks do the following:

Step 1: Stick with the eating real food plan, but start to experiment with different approaches. Everything is on the table, from raw vegan to low-carb paleo. See what makes you feel good and what makes you feel bad. Learn how to listen to your body. Don't get dogmatic about anything - if you find yourself arguing with anyone about your food choices you need to take a step back and chill.

Step 2: Keep up with the walking, but add in some fundamental movements - squats, crawling, rocking & rolling, pushups, and get-ups (no weight). Focus on quality, not quantity.

Step 3: Carve out 20 minutes every day for quiet time. You don't need meditation training or anything like that (but if you have it that's great) just be still, focus on your breathing and try to clear your mind.

Phase 3: For the rest of your life do the following:

Step 1: Learn to cook all that real food you're eating in a wide variety of delicious ways. Recognize that your nutritional needs can change over time and one fixed diet is not a good long term solution. Listen to your body and change what you eat based on what you're telling yourself.

Step 2: Find a physical discipline or two that appeals to you. Parkour, martial arts, dance, climbing, sports, etc... it's all good as long as you have to practice it.

Step 2b: Let your conditioning goals be determined by the disciplines you've chosen. Regardless of what your discipline is you need to improve your strength, so pick up heavy things and then progressively pick up heavier things.

Step 3: Be interesting. Read books, be informed, have opinions, but be open to other people's opinions. Have a life outside of fitness. Surround yourself with good people and laugh a lot.

***

That's it. It's that simple. The only "secret" is consistency and a willingness to start today.